Cabinet-lid construction



April 7, 1931 -A. G. SMITH I CABINET LID CONSTRUCTION Filed Oct. 15. 1928 Patented Apr. 1931 i ARTHUR 6. SMITH, or. LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA.

'cABI nE'r-L In CONSTRUCTION Application filed October 15,1928. semi n 312,585. v

This invention relates to improvements in brace constructions'for hinged closures.

An objectof the invention is to provide a brace construction forhinged closures which,

' may be employed in a variety of difierent circumstances and which connects the hinged closure and the stationary'structure on which the closure and the stationary structure on which the closure is mounted serving to i hold theclosure in open position when opened.

Under many circumstances it is highly desirable to be able to move a hinged closure from closed position to openposition or partially open position and to have a construction which will automatically cause the closure to remain in open'position against the action of gravity or against the action of springs which may be employed, urgingthe closure into-closed position. I

Another object of the invention is to provide a construction for accomplishing the above mentioned results'wliich is of simple, cheap. and durable construction and which requires no care or attention. ,7

Another object of the inventionisto provide-a brace construction for hinged closures which will permit the closure to be moved v ,is employedwhich closure is urged into into a partially open position and'automatic'ally prevent closing movement of the closure from the partially open position until the closure has been moved to fully opened position- '1 Another object of the invention is to provide a .brace c'onstruction having the above mentioned characterlstics, which is 'capableof being manuallycperated to permit closing of a the closure without moving the closure into fully opened position.

'With the foregolng and other, objects in '40 view which will be made manifestinfthe fol-.

lowing detailed description and specifically pointed out in the appended. claims, reference is had to the accompanying drawings for an illustrative embodiment'ot the invention,

4 wherein: i r

Fig. l-is a view in vertical section through a. portion of a cabinet having a hinged closuretowhich the construction embodying the invention has been applied, thecloeure being 59 shown in closed position.

' tially upon line 66 upon Fig. 4:.

V Fig 2 is a'partialview in' vertical section of the construction shownin Fig.1'illustrating theposition of the parts'during opening movement of the closure. Q f

.Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 illustratj ing the positionof the parts iwherein closing movement of the closure is prevented by the improved'brace construction. I Fig. 4 is aview similar toFig. 2 illustrating the position of the parts when the 010- sure is in fully opened position.

Fig. 5 is a partial View in horizontal section taken substantially uponthe line 5- 5 upon Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a vertical section taken. substan- Fig. 7 is a vertical section taken upon the line 77 uponjFig. 2.

PATENT OFFiCEF Referring to the accompanying drawings 1 wherein similar reference charactersfdesig nate similar partsthroughout the improved brace 'construction may be v.usedin conjunction with hinged closures-such. as are employed on phonographs, radiov 'cabinets, desks, and even upon closures employed inautomobile bodies. In short the construction may be employed wherever it hinged-closure closedposition either by gravity or by h springs; lnillustrating the invention,how-

port the closure in any open position. 3' This brace is pivotally mounted upon a bracket 11 f which is fastened'as by screws 12 to the under side of the closure L. Thebrace 10 is provided nearitsupper end with an adjustable collar 13 whichmay be held in adjusted position .by means of a set screw l l. The lower end of the brace is upset or enlarged as indicated at 15 thus forming anabutment at the lower end of the brace cQrrespOnding-tdthe abutment provided at the upper end of'the brace by the collar 13., The bracketll and brace 10 are disposed near a side edge of the .drical in form and in the form of a short steel 'rod which is of such length that it maysupepring has itsuppe end widened so tha t it" closure so that the brace will be close to the inside surface of the wall W on the cabinet. A member generally designated by the reference character 16 is pivotally mounted on the inside surface of the wall WV as by a screw 17. A washer 18 is preferably arranged on the screw between the I member 16 and the Wall lNso that the member may freely pivot on the screw: "This member consists of a back plate 19 which is somewhat triangular shape and has top;andbottom-flanges20and 21 projecting outwardly from its top and bottom edges. The bottom flange'21 has" an aperture 22 formed therein which is of substantially the same size as the diameter ofthe flha'sfan elongated aperture "23' formed "jei ein; The outer side of this aperture is provided with an inwardly extending projection 24 which is somewhat" rounded; and

gage 1 O or slightly larger. The topflange r es ,tddefinejthe i erat s 23 iIitO a forjsward endi'iiidicate d at '25 and "an elongated real-end 26. The forward end 25 of the aper- .ti re 23 v slightly larger than the diameter 'qfthebrface' 1T0 ,and thisjportion of the aperture 23 is in alignment with the aperture 22. -TherearendQB: iselongated and may be .con- .iiieredle be e ease t e pee to the aperture 22'." Kleaf spr'ing'27 shown as be- .mg angular inform isfastened against the.

Back 'plttet ehy aghol dw rivet 27 This is substantially as lon g'asthe C ompiete length .the'apertnre 23. The upper end 'of the bears against the brace .10; urging it paw ly against the outer side of theapertuge23 on which the projection '24is'forn1ed. It thepreferredfor n of construction the top 2'1Iis extended forwardly to provide g midle s I A LTheope' atioh of the device is as follows:

hen the closure L isfin closed positionjthe pivoted ,ineinber. 1 6" is in its lowermost positionlwith the brace 10 disposed in the rear end ,of .theape'rture 23 eXtendihg through ,the aperture 22. .When desired to open the c ab inehthe closure is grasped and manalift-ed and-during this -movement the b r ace' lO 'slides freely upwardly through the, aperture 22Iandthrongh therear end 2.6.01".

.aperthre .23 as. shown Fig. 2. .KVhen the closure isfin partially open position it mes" b rel ase an 0h! s a ng it dawn- Word movement under the influence 'of "gravorof springs which may be present, the action ;of gravity on the pivoted member. 16 together with its frictional engagement with th bracek i w l more i r e iies i shown in 2.to the position shown in Fig.3. virtue of the fact that the rear end 26 of the aperture 23 is elongated the brace 10 can freely, move through ,end of the aperture. ,Dqwnward .movement of the pivoted. member, however, causes it to bind on the brace 1011 heepert i 22 hee i v nt n further further open the closure it is manually lifted 4 and upward movement of the bracelO swlngs the pivoted meinber 16 fr'Om the position 'shown'in Fig. 3 to the position shown in Fig.

2 permitting the braceto freely slide through the pivoted member. On again releasing the closure -L the pivoted member will again swinginto its lowermost position, binding on the brace 10 and holding the closure open.

l/V hen it is desired .toclose .or lower closure L thismay be accomplished as follows The Closure :L is grasped "and lifted into fully v opened position or intothe position shown in Fig. 45. Upward movement of the closure lifts the brace lO causing the enlargement 1.5 to

,engage the ,bottomflange 21 on the pivoted member 16, swinging the pivoted m'enibfer upwardly. During the upward swmglng'of the pivoted member the brace 1O moves forprojection 24. On engagingthe projection 24 itrides over this projection or isjsprung over it against the action of the angular spring 27.

The fapejrtnre 22 may {widened "slightlyto permit' this slight lateral in ove- After passing over the projection 24 th sp ng. ur g th b a e 0 'ou v dly keeps it at the forward end 25 of the aperture .When this positionthe spring 27 and th pr j ti 24.- .co pe a e in ke pi th brace andf pivoted "member in such "relation ,ithiat the' brace'w'illalwaysbe in" alignment with the aperture 22. Wh nin this position the brace lOban freely slide downwardly through the pivoted member withoutvbindin g, enabling" the closure" 'L to be closed. On reachingthe closed position the collar 13 enw e' t p" ang gin the ri ete m mbe dew w i e tli i fi n,

24 ,to pressagainst .the' brac-e 10 with sufficient tomato cause the brace to ride over the projectionagainstthe action of, the spring 27 into the rear end 26' of the aperture 123'. After having returned to this position on again. opening the closure L the brace 10 will freely complished bythe' enlargement 1 5 engaging-'- fiange 21. As soon as that .pivote d menib'er is thus manually shiftedthe closure can be lowered and v-the" colla' r 13"will engage the top flange 20 ews the rive ed .me iber toi s initialpositionfi wardly in the aperture 23until it engages the single brace is used upon a closure but if desired two braces may be employed, one 10- cated near each side edge of the closure. The

improved brace is highly advantageous when thus employed by virtue of the fact that there are no notches on the brace which must be engaged by a keeper or latch as inmany conventional constructions, therefore it is not necessary that the parts of the two brace constructions employed be mounted in exactly corresponding positions on the opposite sides of the cabinet, I

Various changes may be made in the de tails of construction without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A brace construction for hinged closures comprising a brace, means for pivotally mounting the brace upon a hinged closure, a pivoted member adapted to be pivotally mounted on a stationary structure adjacentv the hinged closure, said pivoted member hav ing top and bottom flanges arranged on opposite sides of the pivot, there being apertures formed in the flanges through which the brace extends, the aperture in one of said flanges being of such a size that it may bind upon the brace, the other aperture being of such size that the brace may move therein into a position wherein it will bind in the first aperture when movement is attempted therethrough in one direction, or into a second position wherein the brace may move through the first aperture in either direction, and means for maintaining the brace in either position in the second aperture.

2. A brace construction for hinged clo sures comprising a brace, means for pivotally mounting the brace upon a hinged closure, a pivoted member adapted to be pivotally mounted on a stationary structure adjacent the hinged closure, said pivoted member having top and bottom flanges arranged on opposite sides of the pivot, there being apertures formed in the flanges through which the brace extends, the aperture in one of said flanges being of such a size that it may bind uponthe brace, the other aperture being of such a size that the brace may move therein into a position wherein it will bind in the first aperture when movement is attempted therethrough in one direction, or into a sec- 0nd position wherein the brace may 'move 7 through the first aperture in either direction, and means for maintaining the brace in either position in the second aperture, there being a projection formed on theside of the and spring second mentioned aperture,

means urging said brace against said side whereby the brace may be vmaintained in either of the positions in the second mentioned aperture.

3. A brace construction for, hinged closures comprising a brace, means for pivotally mounting the brace upon a hinged closure, a pivoted member adapted to be pivotally mounted on a stationary structure adjacent the hinged closure, said pivoted member having top and bottom flanges arranged on opposite sides of the pivot, there being apertures formed in the flanges through which I the brace extends, the aperture in one of said flanges being of such a size that it may bind upon the brace, the other aperture being of such size that the brace may move therein into a position wherein it will bind in the first aperture when movement is attempted therethrough in one direction, or into a sec-' 0nd position wherein the brace may move through the first aperture in'either direction,

and means upon the brace engageable upon the flanges for moving the pivoted member into either of the two relative positions with respect to the brace, and means for maintaining the pivoted member in either of the positions.'

4. A' brace construction for hinged e10 sures comprising a brace, means for pivotally mounting the brace upon a hinged closure, a flanged pivoted memberadapted to be pivotally mounted upon a stationary structure adjacent the hinged closure, said pivoted member having an elongated opening in its flange through which the brace slidably extends,

means dividing the opening into two defined ends, one of which is larger than the other,

the brace being adapted to bind on the pivi7 oted memberwhen in the smaller end of the. 1 opening and to slide freely through the opening when disposed in the large end, and

means for urging the brace to remain in 7 either end of the opening but permitting it ii v to be moved from one end to the other.

In testimony whereof Iv have signed my name to this specification. V ARTHUR G. SMITH. 

